AAA Traveler - Winter 2021 - 32

IDYLLIC ISLANDS

BERMUDA
FAMOUS FOR BLUSH-COLORED BEACHES AND COLORFUL SIGNATURE SHORTS, BERMUDA
COMBINES A GENTEEL ATMOSPHERE WITH A STAGGERINGLY LOVELY LANDSCAPE. FILLED
WITH HIGH-END RESORTS, HISTORIC LANDMARKS AND WATER SPORTS GALORE, BERMUDA
SATISFIES EVERY KIND OF TRAVELER. AS A BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORY LOCATED IN THE
ATLANTIC OCEAN AND NOT THE CARIBBEAN, THIS 21-MILE-LONG ISLAND PACKS A LOT OF
SURPRISES IN A SMALL AREA.

NORTH AMERICAN MILESTONE

Step into the cobblestone streets of St. George, Bermuda's
first capital. It was founded in 1612 and is the oldest continually
inhabited English settlement in the New World. A UNESCO
World Heritage site, the town overflows with limestone
cottages, picturesque alleyways with names like Shinbone Alley
and Petticoat Lane. For panoramic views, climb up to Fort St.
Catherine, which rises above pink sand beaches. While you're
on the east end of the island, don't miss the Crystal Caves. Head
underground and stroll across pathways on floating pontoons to
glimpse underground pools and glistening stalactites as well as
other crystal formations.
NATURAL RESPITES

This island is covered with pretty beaches. However, dipping
your toes into the quintessential Bermuda beach at Horseshoe Bay,
a stretch of pristine rosy sand framed by turquoise waves and scenic
cliffs, is a must. If you're interested in more action-packed
excursions, kiteboarding at Horsehoe Bay Beach or Elbow Beach is
an option from December through May. For a memorable mix of
beach and forest, check out Cooper's Island Nature Reserve on the
island's southeastern tip. The 12-acre reserve offers walking trails
through a salt marsh and a forest of ancient Bermuda cedar trees as
well as the secluded beaches of Clearwater and Turtle Bay.
Snorkeling, turtle spotting and seabird watching are a few of the
beach activities on Cooper's Island. For divers, Bermuda is home to
more shipwrecks per square mile than any place in the world. Float
down from the island's south shore and glimpse a few of the island's
300 -odd wrecks, including a 225-foot side paddlewheel steamer

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that sank in 1864, the Mary Celestia. North of the island, you'll
find the Constellation, a 192-foot American schooner that sank
during World War II.
THE BRIT BUZZ

Bermuda's British heritage is displayed all over the island, from
the crimson phone booths lined up in the dockyard to the classic
Bermuda shorts worn by locals, which originated from British
military uniforms for warm climates. For a real taste of the culture,
try an afternoon tea service at Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, a
luxury AAA Four Diamond-rated property overlooking Hamilton
Harbor. It boasts Bermuda's only celebrity chef restaurant, Marcus
by Marcus Samuelsson, and serves up a truly royal experience at
the Crown & Anchor restaurant. The tea service offers fresh
sandwiches and pastries inspired by British royals and three-foothigh silver trays supplying pots of English tea in signature china.
There's even a kids' menu with peanut butter sandwiches.
For a Bermudan take on tea, visit AAA Four Diamond-rated
Rosewood Bermuda, an opulent and sprawling hotel with English
manor decor. The sandwich selection includes local beetroot and
goat cheese and the sweets feature strawberry tarts, passion fruit
meringue pies and Bermuda loquat jam for the fresh scones. There
are also cricket matches to enjoy from May through September and
leisurely bike rides around the candy-colored buildings of the
capital Hamilton (on the left side of the road), since the island does
not allow visitors to rent conventional cars.
- Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

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AAA Traveler - Winter 2021

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